Just like that, 2017 is coming to a close and all of Chicago is planning their perfect celebration! In anticipation of 2018, we have rounded up the best ways to ring in the New Year in style, from upscale dining experiences to the perfect decorations for a DIY NYE gathering and more. We hope you are interested in including these in any New Year’s roundups you have in the works. Let us know if you have any questions. Cheers!
Send 2017 Off In Style – PARTIES!
ROOF on theWit, 201 N State Street, Chicago’s original rooftop destination, will be hosting a lavish Monte Carlo-inspired New Year’s Eve Bash to ring in 2018 from 9:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 31. Those who purchase tickets, which range from $150 to $3,000, will have access to gambling tables, a premium open bar, that includes Absolut Elyx and Avion Tequila, and entertainment from famed the famed Chicago DJ, Flipside. The event, which will be set 27 stories above the bustling city, will feature several extravagant food stations, including fresh oysters, a Wagyu beef tenderloin carving station, and a seafood display with ceviche and crudo. All guests can also take part in the complimentary GH Mumm champagne toast at midnight. The beverage package, which starts at 9:30pm, will end at 12:30am. Packages range from $850-$3,000 and include VIP seating, VIP ROOF access with early entry at 9:00 p.m., private bottle service and vouchers for complimentary New Year’s Day Brunch at State and Lake Tavern. Those attending must be 21 years of age to enter.
Staytion, 1 W. Wacker Dr, is excited to continue its Celebrate the Neighborhood Series with a very special New Year’s Eve event, Cheers to the New Year, for both guests and locals alike. Cheers to the New Year takes place from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Sunday, December 31, offering guests the perfect downtown spot to ring in the New Year with local sips and bites while enjoying live music, DJ beats and each other’s company.
Raised, An Urban Rooftop Bar, 1 W. Wacker Drive, is inviting Chicagoans to ring in the New Year in style at their ticketed New Year’s Eve party on Sunday, December 31 from 9pm to 1am. The third-floor rooftop hangout, which boasts panoramic views of the Chicago river and city skyline, will be offering a special Premium Drink Package that includes champagne cocktails from 9pm to midnight. Tickets are $150.
For a special night in celebration of 2018, the Albert will be featuring a pre-fixe menu of items including Matsutake Mushroom Chawanmushi with Scallion and Sorrel, Belgian Endive with Black Truffle, Orange and Pine Nuts, Aged Duck (several preparations), and Chocolate Strawberries and Champagne. The cost is $125 per person with a $75 optional beverage pairing. For more information, visit www.thealbertchicago.com.
Spy-tacular New Year
SafeHouse Chicago will be celebrating New Year’s Eve all day long with their Spies Around the World Celebration on Sunday, December 31st starting at 11am. Fun for the whole family, those who visit SafeHouse will be treated to a complimentary glass of sparkling grape juice, or sparkling wine, for special spy-themed New Year’s Eve toasts every hour from 2pm-6pm. When the clock strikes 10pm, the real New Year’s Eve party will begin. Hosting their first ever New Year’s Eve Shag-a-delic Dance Party, SafeHouse will be ringing in 2018 with sparkling wine toasts both at 11pm and midnight, as some spies are still operating on New York City time. Throughout the evening, agents will enjoy a variety of different cocktail deals and a “Random Open Bar,” offering complimentary well cocktails, wine and domestic drafts of beer for short periods of time. A $50 prize will be awarded to both the best dressed male and female, and a $100 will go to the best dressed couple. The clearance fee (cover) for this event is $10. For $50, spies receive a special wristband that offers access to an open bar throughout the night and a VIP bartender. For more, visit www.safehousechicago.com.
Most Romantic Dinner Date of the Year
Geja’s Café will offer New Year’s Eve revelers a romantic repast featuring fondue and champagne in a festive, yet intimate, atmosphere complete with classical/flamenco guitar music. Geja’s Café will feature three special reserved seatings on Sunday, December 31, 2017. Reservations are available for 5:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. All guests will enjoy a four-course fondue dinner complete with cheese fondue appetizer, salad, lobster, shrimp and beef entree and Geja’s famous flaming chocolate dessert fondue. The evening’s packages also include champagne and tax and gratuity! The 5:00 p.m. seating is $95 per person and includes a glass of Chandon Brut Sparkling. The 7:30 p.m. seating is $115 per person and includes a glass of Moet Brut Champagne. The 10:00 p.m. seating is $130 per person and includes a bottle of Etoile Rose Sparkling per couple with party favors galore for the countdown to midnight. Long acclaimed “Chicago’s Most Romantic Restaurant,” Geja’s Cafe offers guests an enchanting setting; intimate, candle-lit wine cellar atmosphere and private booths, together with an extensive list of fine, moderately priced wines. To purchase tickets or for more information on the New Year’s celebration, go to www.gejascafe.com or call Geja’s Café at 773-281-9101.
Enjoy the New Year at Chicagoland’s Newest Steakhouse
Pete Miller’s Steak and Seafood Naperville is offering a special New Year’s Eve Lobster deal for their Inaugural New Year’s Eve to usher a new tradition for the restaurant. The 1.5 pound lobster is served with a side salad and a choice of a baked potato or broccoli, all displayed and delivered on a smoking tray! The best live jazz in town will be in-house as usual with a special performance from Return II Soul, so come celebrate with neighbors and lobster lovers alike! For more information or to make a reservation, visit www.petemillers.com.
New Year, New Beer!
Nevin’s Brewing Company, which just recently launched their new beer brand in post-Prohibition repeal style, is offering a special New Year’s dinner package for guests to taste the beer and enjoy the evening with magnificent food. For only $40 per person, this special package includes cover charge at the door, two drink tickets, amazing food and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight! Guests may choose one appetizer, entree and dessert as part of this package. Appetizers include Firecracker Shrimp, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Warm Jumbo Pretzel, Shanghai Cauliflower. Entree Choices are as follows: Parmesan Crusted Filet Medallions served with whipped potatoes, asparagus and red wine reduction, Crab Stuffed Atlantic Salmon served with asparagus and rice pilaf and Chicken Rotolo served with a tomato coulis, pesto oil and angel hair pasta. To top off a sweet night, guests can take their pick with a delicious dessert of Mascarpone Cheese cake with raspberry sauce, Flourless Chocolate Cake with vanilla ice cream. For more information, visit www.nevinsbrewing.com.
Taste the Midwest
What better way to ring in the New Year than with the best food in Minneapolis?! For those who are looking for an enriching dining experience this holiday, Executive Chef Everton Clark of Cedar + Stone, Urban Table, 2141 Lindau Ln, Bloomington, has created a special holiday menu for diners to celebrate the New Year in style. His refined New Year’s menu is made with locally sourced ingredients within 200 miles, inspired around Minnesota’s natural roots and local culture. Plus, wine to pair with each dish will be recommended. Cedar + Stone, Urban Table will be open Sunday, December 31 from 3-11pm. for a special New Year’s Eve dinner: Roasted Parsnip Bisque: cognac crème fraiche, crab salad, fine herb, Cedar + Stone Chicory Salad: mizuna, red oak, candied boombera nut, poached pear persimmon vinaigrette, Steak Au Poivre and Lobster Gratin: prime tenderloin of beef au poivre, lobster and turnip gratin, grilled asparagus, forest farms roasted wild mushroom, peppercorn brandied veal sauce and Apple Valley Bread Pudding: warm chocolate cake, passion fruit mousse, champagne sabayon, orange sorbet, callebaut chocolate crunch.
New Year’s Above It All
Nashville’s most popular rooftop destination, L27, located at The Westin Nashville, 807 Clark Place, Nashville, will ring in 2018 from 9pm – 2am on Sunday, December 31 with panoramic views of the starry skyline while enjoying spectacular views of downtown Nashville’s fireworks display. The sky-high event will be sponsored by Veuve Clicquot, the premier luxury French champagne. Those who purchase tickets will receive complimentary Veuve Clicquot throughout the night. Guests will also enjoy delicious passed hors d’oeuvres, a private rooftop viewing of the fireworks display, and music from DJ KO and Just Whiskey Fables. Complimentary valet will also be provided. Tickets are $300 per person and space is limited. Tickets may be purchased on Eventbrite.com via this link. As one of Nashville’s luxury hotels, The Westin Nashville continues to be the talk of the town. Conveniently located near Nashville’s entertainment district and adjacent to the Music City Center, The Westin Nashville is specifically created to be a reflection of the city’s vibrant energy and Southern sophistication.
Sweet Southern New Year
Estelle Wine Bar & Bistro at The Westin Jackson, 407 S Congress, is serving a five-course dinner menu for New Year’s Eve that can be purchased as a package, a la carte or with a wine pairing for $100. The courses include Lobster Spring Rolls with pickled cabbage, dynamite and wasabi aioli, Beef Carpaccio with extra virgin olive oil, capers and red onions, Pan Seared Tuna with nicoise salad and soft boiled egg, Wagyu NY Strup with butter poached new potatoes, heirloom carrots and espagnole hollandaise and peanut butter souffle. For more information, visit www.estellejackson.com.
New Year’s Pre- and Post-Party Recovery
Cambria Chicago Loop – Theatre District, 32 W. Randolph, is hosting a special New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Brunch with bottomless mimosas and a build-you-own waffle station, the brunch is the perfect way to kick off, or recover from, New Year’s celebrations. The hotel’s brunch will be held on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day from 8am to 2pm at Intermission, their lobby restaurant. Intermission, which is located in the heart of the theatre district in downtown Chicago, is a great spot for people to grab a bite before catching a show on New Year’s Eve, or to recover after a long night of celebrations. Brunch-goers will enjoy bottomless mimosas, or a Bloody Mary bar, a carving station, featuring prime rib and ham, a Chef Omelet station, and a build-your-own waffle station. Guests can also choose from classic brunch selections like Eggs Benedict, a variety of flavored scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, breakfast potatoes and house made pastries and desserts. The brunch is available for $39.99 per person and is open to the public. Check out www.cambriachicagoloop.com for more information.
Ring In the New Year with a New Play
First Folio Theatre is selling tickets now for the Chicago Premiere of WOMEN IN JEOPARDY, which will run starting January 24 through February 25, 2018. From the playwright who wrote The House of Yes, Things Being What They Are, and Schoolgirl Figure, comes the flirtatious yet witty comedy of dubious divorcees who are best friends. WOMEN IN JEOPARDY tells the tale of Mary and Jo’s growing suspicions of their best friend Liz’s new dentist boyfriend who may be a part time serial killer. Liz, who is so smitten and oblivious to her boyfriend’s antics, refuses to believe her own best friends. However, when Liz’s daughter, Amanda, and her boyfriend, Tanner, get involved, the tale takes a hilarious yet complex turn. As the tale of WOMEN IN JEOPARDY unravels, the best friends turn into investigators as they set out to save Liz’s life. For more information, visit www.firstfolio.org.
For Charitable Resolutions
Consistently on the forefront of providing healthier indoor living environments, Dior Builders announced today the official plans for Healthy Home 2018, 1055 Glencrest Drive, Inverness, in partnership with the American Lung Association Health House™ program. Constructed by Dior Builders and the next home in a series of real-life, interactive and educational models for cleaner, greener, safer living, Healthy Home 2018 will be the very first in the country to be built under the American Lung Association’s revised Health House™ guidelines, featuring everything from energy efficient products and innovative technologies, to green building materials and nontoxic furniture and accessories. Created to showcase some of the highest standards of human health and environmental integrity, Healthy Home 2018 opens to the public when completed on January 25, 2018, and is available for tours from January 26 through February 4, 2018. Tour tickets are $20 and tour proceeds will be donated to American Lung Association and are available at www.healthyhome2017.com.
Set Sail for your Summer Lake Goals
Outdoor adventure resolution? Get a head start on the perfect summer season with the Progressive Chicago Boat, RV & Sail Show, the largest in the Midwest featuring over 600 boats, from 50 ft. yachts to inflatables, and 100 RVs. For 88 years, this show, one of the largest expos in Chicago, has been offering a variety of hands on activities, seminars, fishing (!) – yes, trout fishing and more. It’s an annual tradition for boatmen, outdoor enthusiasts, families, and those looking to escape the winter blues in Chicago. The event will take place January 10 – 14 at McCormick Place, 2301 South Lake Shore Drive. Tickets are available at www.chicagoboatshow.com.
Wellness for the Healthy Head and Heart
Orangetheory® Fitness is a one-of-a-kind, group personal training workout that uses intervals of cardiovascular and strength training. Their heart-rate-monitored training is designed to maintain a target zone (known as the “orange zone”), no matter what the fitness level of the individual, they will be stimulating metabolism and increasing energy. The workout is half endurance and half strength and power training. Check out some of the top performing studios in the Chicagoland area (South Loop, Oak Park, Frankfort, and Hyde Park). www.orangetheoryfitness.com.
New Year’s Eve? Do. It. Yourself!
Forgot to pick up decorations for your perfect NYE party? Paper Source, a Chicago-based premier paperie and gift retailer, has you covered! With fun and trendy gift items and cards, Paper Source is the one-stop-shop for all your New Year’s needs! Head to one of their 125 stores in the U.S. or visit their website at www.papersource.com which offers nation-wide shipping, to pick out all your party-perfect goodies.
